One Year Ago: Some Kind of Desolation

(from my journal)

Itero de la Vega
Third Sunday of Easter

Hot. Dry. Sunny. The Meseta – at least what we’ve seen of it so far – has not, however, lived up to its reputation for “flat”. We had two trying climbs today, one before lunch, one after.

We left San Bol early, partly with the idea of getting to Castrojeriz in time for an 11AM Sunday Mass.

Just after dawn at Arroyo San Bol

Just after dawn at Arroyo San Bol

Approaching Hontanas

Approaching Hontanas

The Tiny Ermita de Santa Brigida, Hontanas

The Tiny Ermita de Santa Brigida, Hontanas

Statue of Santa Brigida inside the Hermitage

Statue of Santa Brigida inside the Hermitage

Ruins of the castle of San Miguel

Ruins of the castle of San Miguel

Santiago on the road between San Miguel and San Antón

Santiago on the road between San Miguel and San Antón

Along the way, we passed the enormous ruin of the 12th Century Monastery of Saint Anthony. Its arches – which used to connect the church with a pilgrim’s hostel – tower over the road. The church is a ruin, and the old hostel is long gone, but a new albergue is nestled into the ruin.

San Antón

San Antón

San Antón

San Antón

San Antón

San Antón

Castrojeriz surrounds a tall hill, atop which sits the ruin of a Visigoth castle.

Approaching Castrojeriz

Approaching Castrojeriz

We made for the largest church, only to discover it was locked up. We’d have missed the Mass anyway, so we stopped for lunch and tried the other churches we passed in the town, five all together.

Castrojeriz

Lunch in Castrojeriz

Castrojeriz

Castrojeriz

All of them were closed.

One, in fact, was under reconstruction, and one small church appeared to have been converted into a government building.

We passed out of the town and back into the Meseta.

It was a rough afternoon, where I stopped several times for water and the reapplication of sunscreen. And that final hill was a killer.

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The dreaded Alto de Mostelares

The dreaded Alto de Mostelares

Not thrilled about climbing the Alto de Mostelares

Not thrilled about climbing the Alto de Mostelares

View from the top of Alto de Mostelares

View from the top of Alto de Mostelares

Going down!

Going down!

Going down the Alto de Mostelares

Going down the Alto de Mostelares

Looking out across the Alto de Mostelares

Looking out across the Alto de Mostelares

Puente de Itero del Castillo

Puente de Itero del Castillo

We left Burgos Province behind and entered Palencia Province. Five different signs told us so.

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Entering Itero de la Vega

Entering Itero de la Vega

All the photos for day 13.

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